MILITARY GENERAL SERVICE MEDAL

THE FINE AND RARE 8 CLASP MILITARY GENERAL SERVICE TO AN ORIGINAL 1800 MEMBER OF THE EXPERIMENTAL CORPS OF RIFLEMEN WHICH WOULD LATER BECOME THE FAMED 95TH RIFLES. HE SERVED THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE PENINSULAR WAR AND IN 1810 AS ORDERLY TO FAMED COMMANDER OF THE LIGHT DIVISION, MAJOR GENERAL ‘BLACK BOB’ CRAUFURD. WOUNDED AT ALMEIDA; LIKELY A REFERENCE TO THE CLASSIC LIGHT DIVISION ACTION AT THE COA, HE LATER SERVED AT WATERLOO, WHERE HIS COMPANY SUSTAINED HEAVY CASUALTIES AND WAS FINALLY DISCHARGED IN 1818

MILITARY GENERAL SERVICE, 8 CLASPS, CORUNNA, BUSACO, FUENTES D’ONOR, CUIDAD RODRIGO, BADAJOZ, SALAMANCA, PYRENEES, TOULOUSE ‘JOHN BURR, 95TH FOOT.’

John Burr was born in Leeds circa 1771 and enlisted into the Northumberland Fencibles on 4 March 1795. on 12 July 1800 he transferred to the Experimental Corps of Riflemen, being one of 50 volunteers from various Fencible Regiments to join the Rifles in July and early August that year.

This unit which was more commonly called the ‘Rifle Corps’, was still recruiting at the time when Burr joined, the idea of the unit only coming into being in late January 1800 when a letter from Horse Guards to Commanding Officers of Infantry Regiments requesting recruits. Armed with the Baker Rifle, the idea of the Corps was to provide Sharpshooters, Scouts and skirmishers where needed during military operations. In 1803, the Rifles would become a Regiment of Line under the title of the 95th Regiment of Foot (Rifles), with a second battalion being formed in 1805. Thus Private Burr, who was posted to Captain Gardner’s Company in 1800, would be an original member of this famed regiment.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rifle_Brigade_(The_Prince_Consort%27s_Own)

THE PENINSULAR WAR

During the Peninsular, Burr took part in the retreat to Corunna, serving in Captain Packenham’s Company, landing back in England on 19th February 1809. He took part in the memorable forced march to Talavera, arriving just too late to take part in the action on 29th July 1809 and thereafter served throughout the Peninsula War.

In the regimental musters for April to June 1810, rifleman Burr is noted as being Orderly to famed but firey commander of the Light Division, Major General ‘Black Bob’ Craufurd, which must have shown a lot of tact. He further took part in the battles of Busaco and Fuentes D’Onor, survived the sieges of Ciudad Rodrigo and Badajoz unscathed and went on to serve at Salamanca, the Pyrenees and the final battle of…..

SEE PDF FOR FULL WRITE-UP

Condition GVF, small ek or better. Lovely patina and an old ribbon. Sold with copy service papers, muster extracts and select copy musters 1808-14.

A very fine and rare medal to an original member of the Rifles.